In Emily Carr’s 1939 oil painting “Odds and Ends”, depicting a clear-cut forest, that tree stumps have been described as “tombstones mourning the loss of the trees”. This impression resonated with Mark Koropecky when he visited the site that was being considered for a gathering place at a co-op housing development located in southeast Vancouver.
At the site, a single Douglas Fir stands in a grassy parkette situated within the multi-unit residential dwellings. It was planned by CMHC and the Canada Green Building Council that a seating area would be situated near this tree, close enough for sun protection, yet distant enough to avoid having a structure encroach below the tree canopy.
The concept for the seating area as proposed by SURF Architecture was sparked by the notion of having a deck symbolize a felled tree as a counter point to the standing Douglas Fir. Circular in plan, a multi-level deck would float just above the earth, the planks radiating from an implanted tree stump. These splayed radiating planks depict the heartwood of the tree as its strong, robust core. Characterized by its resilience, the heartwood is intended to represent many of the residences of the co-op.
The construction of the deck was originally organized as a volunteer effort however, due to logistical issues, CMHC opted to work with a local landscape contractor who completed the project. The deck was completed in 2018 and continues to be well utilized by many residents of the co-op housing development.
Client: Canadian Green Building Council with BC Housing
Architecture Firm of Record: SURF Architecture
SUSTAINABLE URBAN & REGIONAL FORM